Running-board mat



Nov, 11, 1924- E. N. VOSE RUNNING BOARD MAT Filed April 3 1924 IN VEIYTOR EdwardLfl ullue 1658 WITNESSES ATTORNEYS Patent ed Nov. ii, 1924.

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tantrums-sonar) Mar.

- "A pumition'aied April s,--19 24.-' s iiai' at. 704,054." y

i llo -t zll wlionr it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD VosE,

l 'a citizen of the :UnitedStates, and aresidentof Darien, inthe county'of 'Fairfield and State of Connecticut; have" invented a new and Improved Running-Board Mat. of

h the followingsif 11 ...1

exact descrip-tion.

- This invention relates to improvements 1n running-board mats and more particularly to a mat designed as an attachment for the runnings'board or step of an automobile and which is hingedly connected thereto so that it ,can be 'readilypositio-ned onthe upper face of'the running boardor step and can also be-swungunder the running board until desired for use-. i

orstep and held int-his last-namedposition i -An object-of theinvention,therefore,"is

to provide a' runnin'g bOard mat-'which'may k, be xnormallysupported underthe running board out offsight and out of the way, and

protected from ordinary wear; but which can be easily and quickly swung'into position on the upper face of the running board when desired for use.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts which will be more fully hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings- 7 Figure 1 is a perspective viewillustrating my improved mat. in operative position I on the upper face of the running board of an automobile; v

Figure 2 is a view in transverse section through the mat and running board;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, showing the mat supported against the under face of therunningf board, this section being taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 4- Figure 4 is an inverted plan view of the runningboard showing the position of the mat when supported against the under face of the board;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of one end of the mat showing its connection to the running board.

For purposes of illustration I have shown an automobile 1 provided with the ordinary type of running board 2. although it is, of course, to be understood'that this invention 18 not limited to any particular type "I- 'would call particular attention -pivotal con'nection'f5 between the mat and the hinge leaf."R-This construction embodies ofautomobileforfvehicle or to. any particular construction" of, running board; or step. I -3represents my improved mat which may I be of -any suitable material and is preferably strengthened by a'inetal border] 4 of v general channel-shape in cross section. The ends of thism'etallic border-are pivotally connected as shown at 5 leaves 6 of a hlnge 7, the other-member or leaf '8 of the hinge being ,rigidly securedtol the under preferably constitutes a relatively large metal plate which is fixedto the under face of the running board and'constitutes a wear plate for the mat when the latter is against theunder face of theboard.

to the face of the running board. ThisleafS l anangle bracket 9which is fixed to the leaf 4 8 and located at right anglesthereto, one

end or memlier' of theangle being pivotally connected to the mat, as shown at 5, and the other endlO of the angle being located against the inner edge of the mat under normal conditions. By reason of this hinge and pivotal construction above described it will be noted that the mat may be swung to a position above the'running board as shown in Figure 2-or to a position under the running board as shown in Figure 3.

When on the running board the metallic frame or border portion 4 is preferably supported on angular cushion blocks 11, as

clearly shown in Eigure 2. When the mat is swung into position under the running board it is caught and held by a latch finger 12on a-metalstrip 13 which is mounted to 7 slide transversely of the plate 8 in suitable guides 14. At the forward end of'the strip 13 an operating handle 15 depends from the strip and is preferably formed by bending the end of said strip. and. a wire spring 18,

'fixed to the plate 8 at its ends, engages this handle 15 at its intermediate portion to normally press the latch finger into engagement with the mat.

To release the mat it is simply I to force the handle 15 inwardly thus pring the latch finger 12 away from the mat and allowing the mat to fall to substantially vertical position, where-it can be easily on the mat is swung back i It will thus be noted that I provide a mat whichv can be positioned'un'der the runnin board and be out of the way and out 0 sight but can be brought into operative position on top of the'running'board' whenever desired. a,

Various slight changes and alterations might be made in the general form of the parts described without departing from my invention, and hence I do not limit myself to the precise details set. forth but. consider myself at liberty to make such slight changes and alterations as fairly fall within the spiritand scope of the appended claims.

1. A mat for running boards, comprisin a hinge, one member of the hinge adapted to be connected 'to the running board whereby the mat may be positioned either on top or against thenunderface of the running board,and, means for holding the mat in its last-named position. a I a Y 2. A cmat'for running boards, comprising a hinge, one'member of the. hinge adapted to be connected to the running board whereby the mat may be positionedeither on top or against the under face of the running board, means forholding the mat in its lastnamed position, said means embodying a spring held latch member, and a handle adjacent the outer edge of the running board for operation of the latch. i

3. The combination with a running board, a mat hingedly' connected to the outer edge 7 of the running board adapted to be swung into position on top of the running board runmng board, a mat pivotally connected at- .its ends to one leaf, oft

e hinge and adapted to be swung into position-ontop of the running board or' into position underthe running board, and cushionblocks on the running board supporting thesedge' of themat when the latter'is thereom I 5. The combination with a running board,

a hinge oonnectedto. the outer edge of the running board, a mat pivotally connected at its ends to one leaf ,ofthe-hinge and adapted to be swung into position on top of the running board or into positionunder'the running board, and cushion 'blockson the running boardsupporting the edgedof the mat when the latter is thereon,

tuting a, stren thening frame for the mat. E WARD NEVILLE vosn.

said mat having a 1 metal border and said metal border'consti- 

